


Saint of Strays

by rebeldragon13



Category: The Exorcist (TV)
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Marcus is a cat person, Pining, Pre-Slash, Tomas thinks its cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:53:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebeldragon13/pseuds/rebeldragon13
Summary: Marcus Keane likes animals, but is it any surprise to anyone that he's a cat person? Certainly not to Tomas.
Relationships: Marcus Keane & Tomas Ortega, Marcus Keane/Tomas Ortega
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	Saint of Strays

**Author's Note:**

> My writing is rusty, but I just had to do something for this fandom.

Marcus settled into the alley, setting down a few small saucers of food for the cats that roamed urban Chicago. He could always tell when something was going on in the city by the behavior of the strays. Animals were always more observant than humans, and they were not afraid to act on their base instincts.

Something was wrong in this city. He’d known it the moment he came into town to check out Father Tomas Ortega.

There had been a broken window in the parish offices, blood and black feathers scattered around the alley below. From one of the uncovered windows he had noticed Tomas speaking on the phone sternly. But where he stood on the street below he couldn’t really make out much else.

The bumping of a small furry head against his thigh drew Marcus from his recollections. “You know something isn’t right, don’t you,” he whispered to the feline, who peered up at him with bright green eyes.

“Cats are good… they are one foot in and out,” Marcus said as he met those eerie slit eyes. His long finger brushing through the soft fur starting at the crest of the cat’s head and sliding down the narrow spine.

“Should have known you are a cat person,” Tomas said leaning out the side door entrance of the parish that led into the alley. He had two cups of coffee held in each hand, and as he stepped closer to Marcus the other cats that had been lured out by the food scattered.

“Oh really, what gave me away?” he laughed.

The tabby that had been nudging against his knees wove between his legs from where he sat on the steps outside of the door. And it only took a few minutes for the cats to build up the nerve to continue eating even with Tomas present.

“You act like you don’t care but you do,” Tomas offered Marcus one of the cups which he cradled in cold palms. “You’re curious and you don’t seem to know how to keep yourself out of trouble.”

“How astute of you to notice,” Marcus retorted while taking a sip of the milky sweet coffee. Had Tomas noticed how he liked this coffee? He glanced up at the man who stood nearby leaning on the railing of the steps next to him. Now that he was being watched Marcus felt almost self conscious about his interaction with the cats.

The tabby jumped onto his lap rather abruptly, but kindly managed not to sink claws into his thighs in the process. The excommunicated priest also managed not to spill on himself or the cat, hurriedly setting the cup aside as he stroked orange striped fur. He clicked his tongue rhythmically tilting his head to get a better look at the cat’s handsome features. Blunt nails scratching under the feline's chin before rubbing cheeks and along his back again. After all mayhem of the last few days, taking a moment to just enjoy the company of another living thing was a luxury he had nearly forgotten.

Tomas watched him quietly, bringing his own cup to his lips as he observed bright blue eyes and long nimble fingers. A smile tugged at the corner of Marcus’ lips, and his eyes. “You ever have a pet before?” he wondered aloud. He knew very little about the former priest’s past and he didn't seem eager to share for some reason.

“Can’t really have a pet when you’re traveling all over the world,” Marcus pointed out, sputtering when a tail flicked over his mustache and nearly wormed its way up his nose. “Needy little thing aren’t you,” he muttered to the cat while scratching the base of its tail.

Tomas reached over to give the cat a quick scratch on the top of the head which earned a low rumbling purr.

The sound of that purr only seemed to cause Marcus to smile more broadly. Something about the way his face lit up seemed to deage Marcus, taking way some of the weariness that had been etched into his face. There was something rather boyish about his features, a kind of wonder that was breath taking. It startled Tomas, for a moment, as he took in the beauty of the older man in this stolen moment.

It was only a matter fo time before Marcus noticed the strange slack jawed expression on his companions face. A pale brow arching as the cat nuzzled against his chin and cheek, with a flick of its tail. “You alright?” he asked.

Tomas cleared his throat and laughed almost sheepishly as he shook off the strange trance he had entered. It had been the briefest of day dreams. Something he found more and more common now that he had opened himself to God’s grace.

“Y-yeah,” he pushed off the railing so he was standing up straight. “Just remembered that I have a few loose ends I need to tie up before we leave. Let’s walk home together once I’m finished,” Tomas said, and as he stepped back towards the parish he had a brief moment when he wondered if Marcus' cropped blonde hair was just as soft as the cat’s fur.

As he stepped away Marcus returned his focus back to the tabby and was soon swarmed by two other cats. A shier pair that had been weary of Tomas, but now that he was leaving they saw their chance to get some pets and attention as well. Tomas lingered near the doorway quietly, watching as Marcus trie to juggle his attention between the trio. One fo the more vocal cats mewing while the other curled onto his laps as though claiming his lap for itself.

There was something saintly about Marcus Keane in this moment. And it was no wonder to Tomas that this man had been touched by God.

"Saint Marcus... saint of strays," Tomas whispered as he stepped through the heavy metal door before he could fixate on his companion all over again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Leave a Kudos if you enjoyed it!


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